Ornamental cover for toothpaste tube



April 13, 1965 J, BOSSACK 3,178,060

OHNAMENTAL COVER FOR TCOTHPASTE TUBE Filed Nov. 8, 1965 Michael 0'. Bossack l N VE N TOR.

United Ssa tes Patent Cllice Eilfifiiifi Fatented Apr. 13, 1%65 ,178,060 ORNAMENTAL COVER FOR TOOTHEASTE TUBE Michael J. Bossack, 14411 Van Owen St., Suite 280, North Hollywood, Calif. Filed Nov. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 322,325 (Ilaiuis. ((Il. IMP-78) The present invention relates to a readily applicable and removable cover and holder for a commodity containing collapsible tube, for example, a conventional-type toothpaste tube, said cover being unique in that it is ornamental, conceals and suspends the ready-to-use tube and is made oi squeezeable material which when properly caught hold of and forcibly squeezed, serves to dispense the contents for ready use.

A significant aspect of the instant concept stems from a desire to induce children to form a daily habit of brushing their teeth with toothpaste. One can find on the open market many and varied innovations which have been devised to stimulate desirable and worthwhile after-meal brushing habits. The innovation herein revealed has come into being in the belief that its use will delight and please children, that regular and recurring use thereof will instill enthusiasm and will establish the habit pattern deemed necessary to promote adoption and use of the cover.

In carrying out the present invention an attractive funprovoking cover has been adopted. This cover takes the form of a figure toy or a figurine, more particularly, a funny-faced clown. molded from an appropriate grade of commercial plastics or a suitable rubber compound. The clown normally assumes an upright position and when not being used appears to be standing on a base or pedestal. Then, too, the clown is made in such a way that the two hands are poised and cooperate with the waist to thus'provide a unique toothbrush holder.

By constructing the clown or equivalent figurine so that it is hollow the hollow portion provides a storage space for the enclosed. squeezeable toothpaste tube. The tube can be placed to assume its desired suspended concealed position by way of a slot in the base. The upper screw-threaded capped neck extends through a hole in the upper part of the molded figure where it serves to accommodate an attachable and detachable head, more particularly a head having a neck provided with an axial socket and with said capped neck extending up and telescoping removably into the socket.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective showing the clowntype tube concealing, holding cover and which also shows the resilient hands which are so constructed and arranged that they cooperate with the clown proper in providing a novel toothbrush holder;

FIGURE 2 is a section taken on the plane of the section line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 with the toothbrush appearing in edge elevation;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective showing the manner in which the cover is turned upside down and how the slit in the bottom is spread to open position to enable one to pilot the screw-threaded neck of the toothpaste tube into the hollow portion and to ultimately assume the suspended or ready-to-use state illustrated in FIG. 2.

Referring now to the views of the drawing it will be evident that the collapsible toothpaste tube (or any equiva- To the ends desired the clown is u lent squeezeable commodity tube) is denoted generally by the numeral 6. It is, a conventional squeezeable tube having the usual rigidifying conical upper end portion 8 provided with the usual screw-threaded neck 16 and an 011- gated closing cap 11. The cover embodies, as one of its features, an ornamental attractively finished plastic or equivalent head 12 which, in keeping with the theme of the invention represents; a funny-faced clownshead having a depending neck 14. which in turn isprovided with an axial non-threaded socket 16. into which the. aforementioned cap, 11 is. snugly but removably fitted in the m nner illustrated. This novel head 12. constitutes. a significant component of the unique cover means. The cover means (which contains and conceals the tube 61). is. here made to imitate the desired clown. It is denoted, generally by the numeral 18 and is molded torepresent the desired clown. More specifically, a clowns suit having shoulder and. col.- lar means 20 at the top, a typical bow tie 22, full pants or legs 24. and coplanar outturned feet or shoes 26.. The. arms are denoted at 28. They are cooperatively made in duplicate and terminate in a pair of hands. 30. located over the cooperating frontal side of the suit or cover. As brought out in FIG. 2, the embossed portion 32. provides the aforementioned tie. There are additional embossments 34 and 36 therebeneathand in line with each other and centrally located to provide satisfactory rests. for the handle portion of the attachable and detachable toothbrush 38. The toothbrush is. placed in its held position in such a way that it rests. on the cooperating rests 32, 34 and 36 wit-h the neck of the handle held by the resilient hands 30 of the clown. In other words these hands and arms have to be so molded that they define and provide the novel holder. The upper end of the collar is provided with a central opening 49. for projection or passage of the capped neck 10 in a manner to permit application of the substitute cap, namely, the head 12. The bottom comprises a sell-standing base 4,2 the same being circular and having a convex top 4.4 to which the feet 26, are attached and on which the lower end of the toothbrush handle rests in the. manner designated at 46 in FIG. 1. It should be noted that the bottom of the base is substantially flat as at 48 and is provided with an openable self-closing slit 59 to facilitate inserting and removing the collapsible tube. The lower end of the cover is so molded and joined with the central, top portion of the base that an unobstructed opening 52 in line with the slot 56 is. provided. The con.- ventional tube as shown in FIG. 4 is turned upside down. Then by pressing on. diametrically opposite sides. of the circular hollow base 42 the slot or slit 50 is. squeezed, opens up, and-permits the tube to be inserted downwardly. Now, the tube and encasing suit or cover is positioned right side up with the cap ll extending through the hole 40' whereby the head 12 can be put in position. The overall interior of the figure is, of course, sculptured or molded to the size of the tube in order to bring about the suspended concealed relationship of parts illustrated in the drawing. The hands 30 are amply pliant that the young user can readily remove the toothbrush 38 for use and then restore it to its ready-to-use position as illustrated in the drawing. Particular attention should be given to the crosssection of FIG. 3 which shows how the separated fingertips bridge the embossed rests 34 and 36 in providing a satisfactory holder for the toothbrush.

As is clear, the cap 11 is not to be detached and thrown away. In fact, the purchaser is instructed to at all times keep the cap on its discharge neck it). After the capped neck is passed through the opening 40, it can be backed off and then screwed in place again in a manner to clamp the marginal edge of the opening 40 between the cap ll and shoulder 8 of the tube. The snug telescoping iit of the cap 11 into the coordinated socket l6 enables the neck or collar 1 to assist in keeping the component parts suitanraoso ably assembled. This arrangement reminds children users to restore the cap before putting the head 12 on.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur tothose skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a collapsible tube provided at its dispensing end with a discharge neck having a cap removably mounted thereon, a cover being made of moldable material molded to represent an attractive character, a circus clown, for example, said cover embodying a fiat-bottom, self-standing base, said bottom having an expansible selfclosing, normally closed entrance-exit slot by way of which said tube can be inserted and placed wholly within the confines of the cover and subsequently withdrawn and discarded, the upper end of the cover having a hole through and beyond which the cap on said neck is accessibly projected, said neck being screw-threaded, and an attachable and detachable head complementing said cover, said head having an attachable neck portion provided with an axially located socket into which said capped neck is telescopingly but separably fitted.

2. A cover for a collapsible tube comprising: a selfstanding base, an upright self-standing hollow body joined at a lower portion thereof to the top of the base, the hollow portion of said body being adapted to encase said tube, the upper end of said body being provided with an opening to permit passage therethrough of the usual screwthreaded capped neck of said tube, and a readily attachable and detachable head, said head having an axial socket into which said capped neck is adapted to be telescopingly fitted, said body and head being fashioned to represent a figure toy, said base being provided with an openable and closable slit for passage of said tube, said body being provided with hands spaced apart and also spaced from an underlying portion of the body, said underlying portion having embossments constituting rests, said rests being oriented and cooperable with the hands, said hands and rests constituting and providing means for temporarily holding the handle of a readily applicable and removable toothbrush.

3. In combination, a collapsible tube having a screwthreaded discharge neck provided with an elongated screwon type closing cap, and an enclosing cover for said tube, said cover being hollow, ornamental and made of squeezeab-le pliant material molded and shaped to represent a given character attractive to children, said cover having a self-standing base with means permitting said tube to be inserted into the hollow portion and wholly concealed within the confines thereof, the upper end portion of said cover being shouldered and provided with an axially located hold, the screw-threaded neck of said tube extending through and beyond said hole, said cap being screwed thereon, and clampingly gripping a marginal edge portion encircling said hole between the cap and an adjacent end portion of the tube, and a readily applicable and removable head complemental to and a component part of said cover, said head having an attaching and retaining neck provided with an axially located non-threaded socket into which said cap is conformingly telescopingly but removably fitted, said cap constituting the means for positioning and retaining said head in its set position.

4. The combination defined in claim 3, and wherein said cover is provided with arms terminating in oppositely oriented hands, said hands being coordinated with and spaced from an adjacent exterior underlying front surface of the cover and terminating in pliant gripping fingers coacting with each other and said surface and providing a holder for a handle portion of a readily applicable and removable toothbrush.

5. A cover for a collapsible tube comp-rising: a selfstanding base, an upright self-standing hollow body joined at a lower portion thereof to the top of the base, the hollow portion of said body being adapted to encase said tube, the upper end of said body being provided with an opening to permit passage therethrough of the usual screwthreaded capped neck of said tube, and a readily attachable and detachable head, said head having an axial socket into which said capped neck is adapted to be telescopingly fitted, said body and head being fashioned to represent a figure toy, said base being provided with a normally closed but openable and closable slit which is adapted to permit said tube to be aligned therewith and passed therethrough and confined wholly within the hollow portion of said body, said body being provided with imitation arms terminating in hands, said hands being coordinated with and spaced a minimal distance from an adjacent exterior underlying front surface of said body, said hands being provided with terminal pliant gripping fingers and said hands and fingers cooperating with each other and also with a coacting surface of the body and defining and providing a holder for the handle portion of a readily attachable and detachable toothbrush.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,535,671 12/50 Cutler 222490 X 2,771,219 11/56 Dewey 22278 2,792,161 5/57 Thomas 22278 X 3,100,063 8/63 Henriksen 222- X 3,105,612 10/63 Krasnoff et al 22278 FOREIGN PATENTS 558,613 6/58 Canada. 287,269 3/28 Great Britain.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE QERHFMATE @F QURRECHON Patent N00 5,178,060 April 13, 1965 Michael Jo Bossack It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent req'liring correction and that the sa' corrected, below In the heading to the printed specification,

for "Michael J Bossack, 144.11 Van Owen Ste Hollywood, CalifJ' read Michael JO Bossack, Califs (14411 Van Owen 81:

lines- 4 and 5 (SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attcsting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN COMBINATION, A COLLAPSIBLE TUBE PROVIDED AT ITS DISPENSING END WITH A DISCHARGE NECK HAVING A CAP REMOVABLY MOUNTED THEREON, A COVER BEING MADE OF MOLDABLE MATERIAL MOLDED TO REPRESENT AN ATTRACTIVE CHARACTER, A CIRCUS CLOWN, FOR EXAMPLE, SAID COVER EMBODYING A FLAT-BOTTOM, SELF-STANDING BASE, SAID BOTTOM HAVING AN EXPANSIBLE SELFCLOSING, NORMALLY CLOSED ENTRANCE-EXIT SLOT BY WAY OF WHICH SAID TUBE CAN BE INSERTED AND PLACED WHOLLY WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE COVER AND SUBSEQUENTLY WITHDRAWN AND DISCARDED, THE UPPER END OF THE COVER HAVING A HOLE THROUGH AND BEYOND WHICH THE CAP ON SAID BECK IS ACCESSIBLY PROJECTED, SAID NECK BEING SCREW-THREADED, AND AN ATTACHABLE AND DETACHABLE HEAD COMPLEMENTING SAID COVER, SAID HEAD HAVING AN ATTACHABLE NECK PORTION PROVIDED WITH AN AXIALLY LOCATED SOCKET INTO WHICH SAID CAPPED NECK IS TELESCOPINGLY BUT SEPARABLY FITTED. 